This invention relates to straw or mulch separating machinery. More specifically, this invention relates to machines capable of receiving bales of hay or straw and picking, tearing, separating, or otherwise breaking up the bales into pieces of straw or hay that can be blown via a blower.
Many industries require and utilize apparatus to reduce bales of hay into small pieces and apply the small pieces of hay in a uniform manner over a large area of ground. For instance, many construction projects entail the extensive movement or removal of soil. As a result, large areas of soil are left without vegetation and exposed to the environment and elements of nature, such as the wind and rain. This absence of vegetation can lead to significant soil erosion. Other industries that must deal with the problems associated with large amounts of exposed soil are the real estate development industry, the road-construction industry, and the farming industry. In all these industries, vast areas of land are exposed to the environment. Likewise, in all these industries, it is desirable to protect the exposed soil from the negative effects of erosion, both from the wind and the rain. In these and many other industries, the area of land to be covered with hay or straw is often quite large. Such a large area requires an apparatus and method that can quickly, safely, and efficiently distribute proper amounts and sizes of hay, straw, etc. particles over the ground. Several prior art apparatus have attempted to fill this need.
To prevent this detrimental erosion, various apparatus and methods have been developed to cover the exposed soil with seed and a mulching material (for instance, hay, straw, mulch, bark, grass, or the like). These mulching materials aid in preventing erosion by impeding the flow of water run-off; providing a protective barrier from the hot sun and the wind; and aiding in seed-germination by retaining moisture in the soil.
Apparatus for breaking up bales of hay are relatively common. However, these devices have been limited not only to the size bales which they can accept, but also to the end uses to which their output can be applied.
As to their size, typical devices have been designed to handle either small cylindrical bales (usually no larger than about 2 feet in diameter and 3 feet in length), or small rectangular xe2x80x9cstandard squarexe2x80x9d bales (usually no larger than about 18 inches wide by 24 inches tall by 3 feet long). More recently, larger bale sizes have increased in popularity. Large round bales now exist in sizes on the order of 6 feet in diameter by 6 feet in length, thus weighing over 2000 lb. Likewise, larger square bales exist in sizes on the order of 4 feet in width by 4 feet in height by 8 feet in length.
The use of both shapes of these larger bales has gained greater acceptance in the farming industry for a few reasons. First, the large round bales are popular because they provide a rounded top surface which facilitates rain water run-off, and thus reduces hay spoilage. Second, the larger sizes reduce the number of bales scattered in the fields. Additionally, the large square bales are popular in the western and arid states where the bales must frequently be transported great distances. The larger square bales provide for more efficient loading on the transport vehicles.
As stated, these larger bales have gained acceptance primarily for agricultural applications. As a result, the apparatus and methods that have been designed for handling these bales have generally also been directed to agricultural applications. In particular, the apparatus have been designed generally to loosen (xe2x80x9cbreak upxe2x80x9d) the bale or divide the bale into several smaller chunks in order to facilitate feeding the livestock. In addition, the apparatus typically provided a means for slowly delivering the loosened bale in clumps at particular locations, either in a substantially continuous xe2x80x9cwindrow,xe2x80x9d or in segregated piles spaced around the field.
In addition, several straw blowing machines exist that, in varying capacities, can reduce a bale of hay into fragments that can pass through a blower.
For instance, many devices, usable for standard small-sized xe2x80x9csquarexe2x80x9d bales, use some form of a cylindrical feed drum hydraulically driven from the main drive diesel engine. The drum, which is usually disposed such that its longitudinal axis is substantially horizontal, contains longitudinal flanges, some of which are notched, protruding therefrom. As the drum rotates, these flanges break off xe2x80x9ccakes,xe2x80x9d or clumps, or portions of the bale. These cakes are then fed into a thrashing section of the machine which utilizes thrasher chains and/or cutting teeth attached to the shaft of the blower fan to cut the straw pieces into even smaller pieces.
In addition, giant hay grinders exist which break up large round bales of hay. These devices are huge, cylindrical tubs into which a large round bale of hay is placed for separation. These devices, because of their size and shape, generally have a high center of gravity, and frequently are stationary pieces not suitable for mobile uses.
In addition, some apparatus and methods utilize separate machines, one machine for reducing the large round bales to smaller fragments, and one machine to further separate and blow the fragments. Such machines typically utilize some form of conveyor to carry the fragments from the bale receiving component to the blowing component.
However, these and other prior art machines are not satisfactory to current needs in several respects. First, none of these machines are capable of receiving bales of hay of multiple sizes and shapes. Often, on job sites, bales of certain sizes or shapes are available in a geographical region, and the straw blowing apparatus must be capable of receiving that particular bale in order to function. If such a machine cannot do so, serious delay, frustration, and increased cost can result.
Second, the prior art concept that uses a cylindrical feed drum would lose efficiency when used for the large round bales of hay due to enormous size that would be required. In addition, a large stationary feed drum is not helpful for applications requiring mobility, such as the seeding or covering of large areas of ground.
Third, the prior art machines that typically handle only the rectangular bales of hay, require, generally, at least three persons to fully operate the straw blowing machinery: one person to drive the truck or tractor pulling the machine, one person to feed the bales into the conveyor portion of the machine, and a third person to operate the rotating turret atop the blower. In fact, for maximum efficiency, a fourth person is generally utilized to assist in loading the bales of hay. The requirement of four persons poses significant labor concerns.
Fourth, prior art machines have not contained efficient means of loading the bales. Some machines are self-contained, and are therefore designed to independently pick up a bale that is located in the field, that is, actually sitting on the ground. These machines are not desirable in the industries considered here, where often a large number of bales have been purchased and pre-loaded onto a truck or a trailer for use in mobile applications for covering large areas of soil. Many machines have no convenient and efficient means of transferring the bale from the flat-bed truck or trailer to the bale-reducing apparatus.
Relatedly, many machines that are designed to accept bales from a flat-bed cannot accept large bales or bales of varying shape. Rather, most of these devices are designed only for the small square bales.
Fifth, the majority of the machines in existence have a tendency to clog, jam, or otherwise malfunction when wet material, dense material, or foreign materials are present in the bale.
Sixth, those machines that are used for covering large areas of ground typically employ cutting knives or cutting chains that actually cut the individual pieces of straw into smaller pieces. It has been found that whole individual intact pieces of straw is the ideal covering for exposed soil. If the straw is cut too small or too fine, the coverage rates and the integrity of the covering will suffer. Therefore, further cutting the straw into smaller pieces is not desired.
The present invention is directed toward an apparatus that is capable of receiving bales of hay, straw, mulch, grass, or the like, of numerous shapes and sizes; reducing or breaking up the bales into its constituent particles; and mobilely dispersing or scattering the materials over a large area. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cstrawxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cmulchxe2x80x9d shall refer to any material that is suitable for providing adequate ground cover and soil erosion control, and specifically includes, but is not limited to the following: hay, straw, grass, mulch, stalks, or other forms of vegetative matter. Also as used herein, the term xe2x80x9cbalexe2x80x9d shall refer to any substantially solid or compacted form of xe2x80x9cstrawxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cmulchxe2x80x9d. The apparatus of the present invention can receive bales of nearly every size and shape currently available. The apparatus of the preferred embodiment is capable of picking, tearing, shredding, breaking, and otherwise separating fragments of straw from the bales. The material thus formed is somewhat uniform and segregated and can be fed into a standard blowing machine for use in spreading the material over the ground to cover the soil and thereby reduce or eliminate erosion. Though not preferred, secondary thrashing chains or other means can be provided, if desired, to further reduce the straw to sizes capable of being blown.
The straw handling apparatus of the present invention comprises three main sections: an input section, a beater section, and a blower section. All sections of the apparatus are mounted on a trailer frame, or chassis, having a low center of gravity. The trailer can be fitted with a hydraulic tongue that can extend to accommodate nearly any type of towing vehicle. In addition, the trailer can be fitted with one or more hydraulic or other type of jacking legs or jack stands that can be extended while the apparatus is non-operational or being stored.
The input section comprises a standard drag chain primary conveyor table for feeding the bales from the input section into the beater section. The primary conveyor""s drag chain assembly can be of standard design, and typically comprises drag chains at the ends of the table, fitted with a bar, channel iron, or some other type of transverse linkage fitted therebetween that is capable of engaging the bales of straw and transporting them the length of the conveyor table. The surface of the primary conveyor table at its exit end is received by the floor of the beater section at the input end of the beater section so that the bales of straw easily are fed into the beater section. A floor is disposed beneath the drag chain assembly so as to prevent material from falling through to the ground. This floor is disposed immediately below the transverse linkages so that as the drag chain assembly operates, the transverse linkages can perform a xe2x80x9csweepingxe2x80x9d function. Therefore, the table is substantially self-cleaning.
In addition, the input section can, though it need not, comprise a secondary conveyor that can be fitted with an overrunning clutch that allows additional bales to be feeding toward the primary conveyor. Alternatively, or in addition, the input section can comprise a secondary feed table connected (pivotally or hingedly) at one end to the input end of the primary conveyor. This secondary feed table typically has no conveyor, but can have its free end raised and lowered to easily adapt to tow vehicles of any size and shape. Furthermore, the input section can be fitted with a tertiary feed table that can further aid in adapting to any tow vehicle.
The primary conveyor table assembly is fitted with hydraulic cylinders that can change the inclination of the primary conveyor table between approximately 0 degrees to approximately 35 degrees (from horizontal). This allows the primary conveyor to easily adapt to tow vehicles of any size and shape. Angles of inclination greater than 35 degrees are possible (for instance, in an embodiment wherein the primary conveyor table is designed to fold out of the way for storage or transport), but are not preferred.
The primary conveyor table can additionally be fitted with sides and safety mechanisms, such as depressible bars or buttons, that can be activated in order to shut off power to the rotating beater shafts within the beater section and/or the power to the drag chain assembly.
The secondary conveyor table can be pivoted as well, and indeed can be pivoted out of the way in the transport mode. The input section also comprises a winch (hydraulic or otherwise) for transferring the bales from the truck, tractor, trailer, or other tow vehicle to the feed tables.
The beater section comprises a large front portion that receives the bales carried by the drag chain conveyor. The front portion generally is of rectangular or box-like cross section, though other cross sections such as circular, polygonal, or irregular are possible and certainly within the scope of this invention. The front portion of the beater section contains at least two shafts which contain numerous blades or paddles used for picking, tearing, or otherwise separating the straw from the bale. Various configurations for the shafts exist, and various numbers of shafts are possible.
Generally, there are two shafts in the beater section, a first shaft and a second shaft. The first and second shafts are parallel to each other, usually, but not necessarily, in the horizontal plane. When disposed horizontally, however, the first shaft is preferably positioned slightly forward (approximately 2 inches) of the second shaft. The first and second shafts rotate in opposite directions: the first shaft rotates clockwise when viewed from the right side view, while the second shaft rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the right side view. Such opposite rotation between the shafts creates a beating motion that tends to continually feed a bale of straw through the beater section. In other words, such rotation is anomalous to a xe2x80x9cpinch pointxe2x80x9d which is well known in rotating machinery. A gear box is mounted on the side of the beater section and is connected to a shaft from a hydraulic motor that drives the beater shafts. This hydraulic motor, connected to one of the beater shafts (typically the second shaft), provides power for the shafts to rotate. The gear box assembly connects the first and second shafts and provides the counter rotation of the shafts. A shear bolt assembly and coupler can be, if desired, connected to the drive shaft so as to provide a releasable connection between the shafts and the motor. A protective cover generally houses these components to protect not only the components, but also to afford another level of safety for the operators.
In the preferred embodiment, the first shaft comprises a cylindrical shaft having extending therefrom fourteen paddles arranged in such a manner and at such an angle with respect to the longitudinal shaft axis so that the paddles tend to force the material toward the center, as opposed to toward the sides, of the beater section. This helps to channel the straw into the blower section. The paddles have teeth at their outer-most edges. The paddles additionally act as fan blades that serve to increase the amount of air flow in the beater section, which can assist the blower in dispersing the straw. The second shaft of the preferred embodiment comprises a drum having teeth disposed on its outer surface. The preferred embodiment further includes a third shaft, called a metering shaft. The metering shaft is of smaller diameter than the first and second shafts. The metering shaft serves to meter the flow of material into the beater section and to reduce or prevent clogging in the beater section.
The floor of the beater section can contain a semi-cylindrical portion, following the contours of the circumference of the second shaft/paddle or drum/teeth combination. When configured thusly, this semi-cylindrical portion acts as a back-up panel for straw that didn""t make it out of the front portion of the beater section and into the blower section. Such items then can fall back into the beaters and again go through this section and eventually be forced into the blower section of the machine. It should be noted that a semi-cylindrical shape is not mandatory.
The beater section further comprises a rear portion having back, sides, top, and bottom surfaces that funnel toward the blower section, these surfaces being termed xe2x80x9cfunneling surfacesxe2x80x9d. Various angles of inclination are possible for the funneling surfaces of the sides, top, and bottom of the rear portion of the beater section, with the rate of funneling being altered thereby. The main purpose for the funneling surfaces is to channel the straw into the entrance portion of the blower section.
The blower section of the present invention contains, generally, an entrance portion comprising a standard straw blower fan and shaft situated to receive the material from the rear portion of the beater section. The blower section also typically is fitted with a blower exit, which is a movable or rotatable turret assembly (steering means, ladders, guard rails, seat, and so forth) at its exit end for more accurately directing the straw onto the ground. Located near the operator""s seat is one or more control panels having the controls for the various functions of the apparatus. These controls include, but are not limited to, fan blower power; fan blower throttle; power to the first shaft; power to the second shaft; and power to feed table and metering shaft. In addition, the blower exit turret assembly is typically fitted with some form of electronic signaling device, forming part of an electrical signaling system, that can be operated by the person operating the blower turret. This signaling system can be connected electrically to the electrical system of the tow vehicle. Said signaling system allows the turret operator to relay information to the tow vehicle driver that can signify such things as whether and how to regulate the speed and/or direction of the tow vehicle. In addition, said signaling system can include certain safety systems and features to allow the operators to relay emergency or safety information to one another.
As can be seen, an object of this invention is to provide a variable mulch handling and dispersing apparatus that is capable of receiving bales of numerous sizes and shapes.
Another object of this invention is to provide a variable mulch handling and dispersing apparatus that is mobile and capable of being towed on all standard highways.
A further object of this invention is to provide a variable mulch handling and dispersing apparatus that more efficiently breaks apart bales of any standard size or shape.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a variable mulch handling and dispersing apparatus that is capable of receiving bales from a tow vehicle or other source and handling the bales in an efficient manner.
Another object of this invention is to provide a variable mulch handling and dispersing apparatus that utilizes a beater assembly to provide the breaking or tearing motion.
A further object of this invention is to provide a variable mulch handling and dispersing apparatus that utilizes at least two counter-rotating beater shafts and a metering shaft to effectively handle bales of any size or shape.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a variable mulch handling and dispersing apparatus that uses at least two shafts mounted to counter-rotating axles.
Another object of this invention is to provide a variable mulch handling and dispersing apparatus that yields good quality ground cover without cutting or reducing the straw into too small pieces.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a variable mulch handling and dispersing apparatus that provides a safe, releasable mechanism that can shut off power to the shafts upon entry of large foreign objects into the beater box section.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a variable mulch handling and dispersing apparatus that can safely and effectively remove twine from the bales.
A further object of this invention is to provide a variable mulch handling and dispersing apparatus that can be safely and efficiently operated by fewer persons than can many prior art machines, thus reducing labor costs.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a variable mulch handling and dispersing apparatus that has a low center of gravity allowing it to operate safely on rough terrain.
These and other objects of the present invention not explicitly stated will be set forth and will be more clearly understood in conjunction with the descriptions of the preferred embodiments disclosed hereinafter.